VOA常速英语2018--巴黎车展10月14日将完美收官

For more than a century, the Paris Auto¹ Show has been the place for car enthusiasts² and manufacturers. Cars like General Motors Firebird, Renaud’s frigate³, Jaguars⁴ and of course Mercedes-benz showcase cutting-edge technology for the times.

一个多世纪以来，巴黎车展一直是汽车爱好者和制造商们趋之若鹜之地。这里有很多汽车品牌，比如通用汽车、雷诺的护卫舰、捷豹，当然还有梅赛德斯-奔驰，它们都展现了时代的先进技术。

There was a type of Silicon⁵ Valley in West Paris. There were a lot of manufacturers competing in innovation to offer Parisians of fashionable, very expensive object, which will gradually become a lifestyle and would enter the daily lives of individuals, thanks to the Auto Show.

巴黎西部有一个与硅谷比肩的地方。各家汽车制造商都争相展现创意，为巴黎市民提供价格高昂的时尚物品，这将逐渐成为一种生活方式，进入每个人的日常生活中。而这一切都要归功于巴黎车展。

The first Paris Auto Show in 1898 drew about a hundred and forty thousand visitors. By 1954, that number hit a million. Manufactures from around the world took notice and showcased their cars special features from trunk space to the torpedo-like grille of the olds mobile golden rocket. But in response to soaring oil prices in the 1970s, car companies adapted output to boost a slumping⁶ automobile⁷ industry.

首次巴黎车展是在1898年，那次车展吸引了近14万人参观。1954年的时候，这一数字就突破了100万。全球各地的制造商们在注意到这一点之后，纷纷前来展示自己车型的特殊之处，从大空间的后备箱到奥兹莫比尔金火箭的鱼雷状格栅，不一而足。但为了应对上世纪70年代飙升的油价，很多汽车制造商纷纷调整了产量，来刺激疲软的汽车业。

What we see in particular, for example, when this first decade of the automobile industry crisis brought about by high oil prices, was the reduction in size of the vehicles. It was a way to urbanize the vehicle. From this point on, the car becomes integrated in this city.

我们尤其注意到的是：在当时的背景下（比如头10年居高不下的油价带来的车企危机），车辆数量的减少。这是让汽车城市化的一种做法。从那时起，汽车就融入了城市中。

International Car Shows had long been criticized for their objectification of women. Over time, the auto industry began targeting women as consumers and not just as hood⁸ ornaments⁹.

国际车展之所以长期以来备受诟病，是因为车展一直把女性对象化了。随着时间的流逝，汽车行业开始把女性视为客户，而非只是花瓶一样的摆设。

Women are drivers. The role of women is not just to put cars in the spotlight¹⁰.

女性也可以开车。女性的作用不只是将汽车暴置于聚光灯下。

In recent years, the Paris Auto Show has drawn¹¹ 1.4million visitors. This year’s show runs from October 4th to the 14th.

近年来，巴黎车展已经吸引了140万访客。今年的时间是10月4日-14日。

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 enthusiasts   

n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A group of enthusiasts have undertaken the reconstruction of a steam locomotive. 一群火车迷已担负起重造蒸汽机车的任务。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored. 一群热心人计划修复这架飞机。 来自新概念英语第二册

3 frigate   

n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰

参考例句：

• An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
• I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。

4 jaguars   

n.（中、南美洲的）美洲虎( jaguar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jaguars are largely nocturnal creatures. 美洲虎基本上是夜行动物。 来自辞典例句
• Jaguars (Panthera onca) once ranged from southern South America to theUnited States. 美洲虎曾经分布在北美洲南部和美洲南部。 来自互联网

5 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

6 slumping   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的现在分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Hong Kong's slumping economy also caused a rise in bankruptcy applications. 香港经济低迷，破产申请个案随之上升。
• And as with slumping, over-arching can also be a simple postural habit. 就像弯腰驼背，过度挺直也可能只是一种习惯性姿势。

7 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

8 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

9 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

11 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。